Printing Services

Printing services include every type of putting ink on paper and the subsequent handling of the printed matter. The following areas of services will be covered in greater detail, so the potential buyer will understand more fully what they will receive in the finished product. Not every printer can provide all these listed services. Some of the services require specialized equipment, which some printers do not have. Other services require employees with certain skills and experience. Because of this, it is imperative that the potential customers realize that only some printers can meet their needs. Printing services that have the knowledge and equipment must complete this special work. With this in mind, let us look at the services that the printers as a group can supply. Finding printers for a specific job can be done locally or via the Internet. The Internet lets the customer quickly get an idea of the cost and time frame for delivery. This source also provides easy comparisons of printers for various jobs.

Printing has an interesting history and has been responsible for the education of mankind. Without its cost saving endeavors, only those that could buy handwritten books would own them. Many people would not even be able to read or write. Printers hold a unique place in the development of man’s knowledge and civilization. The problems they have solved throughout the history of printing speaks well of them.

Business printing typically consists of business cards, envelopes, and stationery. There are separate categories within each of these products. Product lists and tech sheets are also considered a normal business printing need.

Business cards can be raised printing, uv-coated cards, thermography printing (a special ink that raises on the paper when heated), one-color or four-color cards, and cards printed on both sides.

Envelopes include regular business sized envelopes, envelopes with see-through windows, and other envelopes of various sizes.

Stationery includes various colors of paper, one or more colors of ink, various sizes for different purposes, and standard business stationery.

Product lists and tech sheets can be put on normal letter size paper and printed in one or more colors. Many typical printers do this type of printing job.

It is worthwhile to compare prices in this area, as there is a wide range of prices in the printing of these products. For example, business cards can be printed for as little as $65 per thousand in full color and UV coated. A rule to follow is larger quantities get better prices per piece. Print what you need, plus a little.

Document services include copying, collating, and bindery. A company that specializes in this service, if large quantities are needed, does copying documents better. Collating pages of a multi-page document is the service of putting the pages of each in the correct order. This can be finished quickly by machine. This service is a time saver when many of these are needed. Bindery is the service of binding collated documents together. Again, this is a time saving service if many are needed.

Some printing companies offer the capability in total. They can do the job from start to finish. This is a time saver and may be even a less costly way of doing this job. In any event, it provides a one stop does all answer to this type of project.

Scanning of documents is a service that can be purchased. This is useful, if you need to be able to send documents via the Internet. Also in a PDF format, they will print correctly on almost every printer.

Post card printing is different than printing on regular paper and normal sizes of printed pages. Post cards are heavier stock and usually printed in multiples on a single page of stock. After the printing, the cards are cut to the correct size. Post cards can also be delivered in sizes other than the usual post card size. Sizes other than normal can make the recipient take notice and give an advertising piece a closer look. This extra time could make the difference in getting your message across.

By the way, this is an excellent way to try a mail campaign on a test basis. Post cards are less expensive to send out than regular mail. This is true of both postage and the mailed piece. This savings means a larger mailing can be done for the same price.

Post cards are popular for businesses in the tourist business. It can be a small profit center as well as an appreciated service to the customers of these companies.

Brochure printing is a special printing category because of the size of the finished product. The fact that they are usually a 4-color process also makes brochures a special project. Brochures are usually printed in fairly large quantities and then folded. This printed product takes special equipment in order to turn out a quality brochure. Printing companies in this niche market can deliver at lower prices.

Brochure handling equipment, aside from the printing, is equipment that not all printers have in their plant. Multi-page brochures also take unique equipment.

Due to these special needs in order provide brochures, not all printing companies can do this job for a competitive price. As is true of all printing projects, some companies are better suited to do the job. The secret is to find these companies and then compare their prices. As in many areas, one size does not fit all. Certain specific jobs require special companies and capabilities.

Insert printing is done many times by firms associated with the newspaper or magazine the insert is going to be put in. This type of finished product is very similar to the previously mentioned brochure. The reason many customers use a firm that works with the newspaper or magazine to be inserted is the cost. Since this is usually all they do, they can generally do it cheaper than a printing firm that does not specialize in this market.

Inserts come in all sizes and folds. Somehow the insert has to be put into the newspaper and magazine. Some of these special printers have arrangements with printers of these products to deliver the inserts to them to be inserted. This is a unique market area and with unusual requirements.

Firms that have this special printing equipment and are experts at this type of printing do catalogue printing. Only a catalogue printer can do these in quantity at a reasonable price. The problem with this printed product is the number of pages per catalogue and the amount of artwork needed for the finished job. All these criteria make the catalogue printer the best choice.

A catalogue printing service has faced and solved the problems associated with doing catalogues. They therefore do not have to re-invent the wheel. This means lower cost to the buyer and better end products.

Book printing is again a special area of printing. The size, the number of pages, and the binding of the book make this a special job. The printing company must have the equipment and knowledge to turn out a first class job. The Internet is a very good place to find printers with this specialty.

Book printers are similar to catalogue printers in that they have resolved the problems of book printing. Because of their knowledge, equipment, and real time experience, they can print books at relatively cheaper prices per unit.

Screen-printing is a special part of the printing industry. The basic reason for this special area is the products that they turn out are not usually on paper. This printing takes specific equipment and inks. Some of these jobs are done by hand, while others are now automated. The finished products include t-shirts, cups, sweatshirts, hats, and jackets. Decals and bumper stickers of all sizes make up another product group. Large banners and posters are another finished product that the screen printers finish quite well. Many advertising specialty items are delivered with the logo of the buying company as well as their name and phone number. Advertising specialty companies usually are responsible for this printing. There are many items that are sold by these companies. They include pens, mouse mats, calendars, notebooks, and many, many other items.

A very unique area of screen-printing is its use in creating art pieces and personal greeting cards. All members of this printing group do not do these. The finished pieces are done by hand and rarely by using screen-printing machines.

Each of the products mentioned take special equipment to make. T-shirts need to be screen-printed on wheel apparatus where the material could be held in place and flat. This is absolutely true when using many colors. The same would be true for sweatshirts and jackets. Hats need a particular device in order to print on the hat. Coffee cups need another special device to hold the cup and also to be able to screen-print on a curved surface. Decals and bumper stickers can be printed by hand or by machine. Banners take equipment that can handle large pieces of Tyvek or vinyl. Banners need special holes in them to let the air flow through or they become sails. Posters would also require equipment that can hold various sizes of poster material from small to large.

Special printing on different substrates

Printing is needed on many substrates that are not easily printed upon. Aluminum, magnetic material, vinyl, glass or pottery materials, soft materials, cardboard boxes, plastic, and flat or curved surfaces are all potential materials that may need to be printed on. Each of these substrates requires special ink and equipment to complete the job. The employee must also be knowledgeable and know how to do the specific job. Each of these finished products takes experience to make and prior knowledge to correctly deliver.

Aluminum sign blanks are used in the making of signs for parking lots and street signs. They are also, sometimes, used on the sides of trucks. Magnetic signs and refrigerator paper holders are another printed item. Cardboard boxes are done by machine, but are simply just another item to print a message on. Curved surfaces present a special printing problem, which takes specific equipment.

Screen-printing is used to make computer boards with inks that can carry electronic signals. This one use of screen-printing has helped to make these boards far cheaper than they used to be. This idea was the result of looking at the problem with an out of the box mindset. It solved the problem and saved money at the same time. Companies have made millions of dollars in the computer business from this one idea. It also made these finished products smaller and far less in weight. Miniaturization would not have been possible without printed circuit boards. Our space exploration is also possible due to this miniaturization for electronic components. This saves weight, which is critical in rocket science.

This area of printing services is alive and well and always changing. Advancements in this industry are always going to be with us in equipment and printing uses. We can only imagine one thing that will be different in the future of this industry. We have no idea what all the changes will bring and the new uses of putting text, images, lines, and boxes on future substrates. Our current knowledge is always growing and makes changes an extremely likely event. This vital industry to our economy always will be on the cutting edge of technology. It certainly helped us get where we are, and it will help in the future advancements. We have come a long way from crude drawings on a cave wall to pass on information.